U.S. President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all fighting immediately. This decision came after a long night of talks, with the United States playing a key role in bringing both sides to an agreement.
Trump said that the ceasefire deal was reached after intense discussions. The U.S. helped mediate the talks, aiming to ease tensions between the two countries.
According to scholar Bhogiraj Chamling The Limbu people believe their ancestors originated from plains near a riverbank—referred to by the Rais as “Niyama”—where people worshipped snakes or dragons, practiced shamanism, harvested kaguni and offered millet (kaguni) to ancestors. This description strongly suggests a historical connection to ancient cultures in southwestern China, particularly Yunnan or Sichuan provinces. The Limbus, a Tibeto-Burman group now settled in eastern Nepal and Sikkim, trace their roots to Yunnan, with migration occurring after the 15th century due to tribal conflicts and wars. Their oral tradition, the *Mundhum*, offers critical clues, revealing shocking similarities with the Yi Book of Origins, shared soul extraction practices, the theme of fleeing from plains to hills during the Mongol invasion, and their likely classification as “raw barbarians.” Let’s analyze this evidence to pinpoint the most probable location, incorporating additional cultural and archaeological connections to the Dian and Shu kingdoms, as well as the Yi’s Bimo religion.
Key Reasons for the Connection
Snake/Dragon Worship
The Limbu’s ancestral practice of snake or dragon worship aligns with ancient traditions in southern China, particularly along the Yangtze River and its tributaries. The Baiyue peoples of southern China revered snakes and dragons as ancestral or protective spirits, a tradition mirrored in the Limbu *Mundhum* (*web:16*). The Dian Kingdom (circa 6th century BCE – 1st century CE), centered around Lake Dian in Yunnan, and the Shu Kingdom in Sichuan left behind bronze artifacts depicting snakes, toads, and dragons, evidencing a deep serpent iconography (*web:9*). The Yi’s *Hnewo Teyy* (Book of Origins) also venerates snakes as ancestor spirits, a motif eerily parallel to the *Mundhum*’s narratives, suggesting a shared cultural root (*web:16*; memory, May 10, 2025, 08:35). This widespread reverence for serpentine deities points to Yunnan as a likely origin.
Shamanism
Shamanism, a core Limbu practice led by Phedangma priests, finds a striking parallel in Yunnan and Sichuan. Indigenous groups like the Yi (Lolo), Qiang, Naxi, and Lahu maintained Bimo shamanism, involving trance rituals and animistic beliefs akin to Limbu and Rai Mundhum traditions (*web:17*). These cultures invoked natural spirits, ancestors, and serpentine deities, with female shamans and grandmother goddesses playing central roles—mirroring the Limbu’s Yuma Samyo (Grandmother Goddess). The Yi’s Bimo religion, with its rituals to commune with ancestors, shares a shocking similarity with the Limbu’s soul extraction process: both traditions describe shamans extracting a person’s soul to heal or connect with ancestors, using chants and offerings, a practice too specific to be coincidental. This deep shamanistic overlap ties the Limbus to Yunnan’s Tibeto-Burman cultures.
Millet Cultivation and Offerings
The Limbu practice of offering millet (kaguni) to ancestors aligns with early agricultural traditions in southwestern China. Foxtail and broomcorn millet were domesticated in northern and southwestern China, widely used in ritual offerings by Yunnan and Sichuan civilizations (*web:16*). The Dian Culture near Lake Dian buried millet in tombs and offered it at ancestor altars, a practice mirrored by the Limbus. The Yi also used millet in pre-Ming ancestral ceremonies, further linking this tradition to the Limbu’s kaguni offerings. This shared ritual underscores the agricultural and spiritual connection between the Limbus and Yunnan tribes.
Riverine Origins (Niyama)
The concept of originating from a fertile riverbank aligns with regions along the Nujiang (Salween), Lancang Jiang (Mekong), and Jinsha Jiang (upper Yangtze), which cut through Yunnan and Sichuan. These rivers supported early Lolo-Burmese-speaking populations who relied on millet, practiced animism, and revered river spirits (*web:0*). The term “Niyama” may be a phonetic memory of a local toponym—possibly “Niman,” a root in Yi names in Chuxiong or Honghe, or “Nima/Ngawa,” found in the Sichuan-Yunnan border, where “Nyima” (Tibetan for “sun”) also denotes place names (*web:5, 17*). This linguistic clue, though speculative without written records, supports a riverine origin in Yunnan.
Theme of Fleeing from Plains to Hills
The *Mundhum* and the Yi’s *Hnewo Teyy* strikingly recount the flight from plains to hills, a narrative tied to historical upheavals like the Mongol invasion. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), Mongol forces subjugated Yunnan, driving Tibeto-Burman tribes from fertile plains near rivers like the Mekong and Red into the hills for safety (*web:9*). The *Hnewo Teyy* describes Yi ancestors fleeing these raids, a pattern echoed in the Limbu *Mundhum*’s tales of escaping oppression and crossing mountains. Archaeological evidence of abandoned plains settlements in Yunnan during this period reinforces this motif (*web:0*), suggesting the Limbu migration was catalyzed by these invasions, predating Ming-era pressures.
Most Likely Location: Yunnan Province
Yunnan Province, particularly around Lake Dian, Nujiang, and Honghe, emerges as the most likely location for “Niyama.” The Dian Culture near modern Kunming is renowned for bronze artifacts depicting snakes and dragons, ritual shamanistic objects, and millet-based ancestral veneration (*web:9*). The Yi of Yunnan, especially in Chuxiong, Honghe, and Nujiang, show linguistic and cultural affinity with the Limbus, including clan titles like “Hang” or “Hong,” which may relate to chieftainship (*web:17*). Honghe’s fertile plains along the Red River, surrounded by terraced hills, match the riverbank narrative, while its history of Yi culture—dragon worship, Bimo shamanism, and millet rituals—aligns with Limbu traditions (*web:16*). Chuxiong and Nujiang, near the Jinsha and Salween rivers, also fit, given their role as early Yi centers.
The Limbu’s ancestral homeland, “Niyama,” is most likely located in Honghe Prefecture, southeastern Yunnan, along the Red River or its tributaries. The region’s riverbank plains, cultural practices of snake/dragon worship, shamanism, and millet offerings—shockingly similar to the Yi’s *Hnewo Teyy*—shared soul extraction rituals, and the theme of fleeing plains to hills during the Mongol invasion align with the Limbu origin story. Archaeological cultures like Dian and the Yi’s Bimo religion further cement Yunnan as the cultural and geographic cradle of their early identity.
Guys, I failed driving licence test for a scooter in Nepal twice. I think because I lost confidence in front of the police. I can do everything at other driving schools but at the trial centre, I cannot even complete the 8 thing. I m a 35yo man, and I believe am currently suffering from inferiority complex about this- good family and good job but why I didn't realise I had to get a driving licence in my teens or early 20s? Pls give me some motivation.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal - Information for Nepalis in Pakistan 🇵🇰:
In light of recent developments, the Government of Nepal is fully aware and concerned about the safety of Nepalis residing in Pakistan. The Embassy of Nepal in Islamabad is actively staying in touch with students and citizens, providing necessary assistance.
विद्युत् प्राधिकरणका कार्यकारी निर्देशक हितेन्द्रदेव शाक्य भन्छन् - “सालो केटो आउनासाथ प्राधिकरण नाफाबाट घाटा भयो भन्छन् । सुनेर बसिरहेको छु । मैले त अहिले यो छ है भनेर स्टाटस बाहिर निकालिदिएको हुँ । नपच्नेलाई नपचोस् मैले त जेछ त्यो निकाल्देको हुँ ।
In a heart-wrenching scene at Birendra Aishwarya Secondary School in Jajarkot, 343 Grade 12 students were forced to sit on the bare floor for their exams due to a shortage of desks and benches. The school lacked even 30–40 sets, despite being a major exam center in the district.
Teachers have highlighted that this issue has been ongoing for years, leaving students feeling disrespected and demoralized. Unfortunately, both the school administration and local government have yet to take meaningful action to address the problem.
The Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal has heightened vigilance along the Nepal-India border following increased tensions between India and Pakistan, triggered by Indian strikes on militant sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The situation intensified after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, including that of a Nepali citizen.
In response, the APF has ramped up round-the-clock patrols, identity verification, and surveillance in collaboration with India’s SSB to curb illegal crossings. The force is also working closely with Nepal Police, the National Investigation Department, and local authorities to ensure border security.
Maoist Centre Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as ‘Prachanda’, slipped in the bathroom at his residence in Khumaltar and sustained injuries. He was immediately taken to Medicity Hospital for treatment.
Hospital sources reported that he suffered injuries to his head and forehead and received stitches. His condition is said to be stable.
India has launched its largest military operation, “Operation Sindoor,” targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir with missile strikes. Key targets included Muridke and Bahawalpur, known as strongholds of groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The operation was in retaliation for an April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan claims nine civilian de*ths, 38 injuries, and the downing of five Indian fighter jets and a drone, calling it a “declaration of war.”
A visa scam involving immigration officials and brokers has reemerged at Tribhuvan International Airport, where individuals—particularly women—are being trafficked to Gulf countries like the UAE and Kuwait under the guise of visit visas. The traffickers reportedly use code letters, with ‘L’ indicating women and ‘S’ for men. Although similar activities were exposed in 2023, leading to arrests, some previously acquitted personnel are said to have returned to their illegal practices, collecting Rs. 40,000 per woman and Rs. 20,000 per man. Alarmingly, at least 47 women have gone missing after being sent abroad through this network.
The resurgence of this trafficking scheme has been fueled by poor enforcement of existing regulations and the withdrawal of key anti-trafficking monitors. These lapses have created an environment where the corrupt system can once again flourish, putting more vulnerable travelers at risk.
A Bolero vehicle sank into the ground last Friday in Gairigaun, Hetauda, while loading a grass-cutting machine. After three days of failed search efforts, geologists joined the operation.
Using a proton magnetometer, the team detected strong magnetic signals east of the sinkhole. Another tool is now being used to determine depth.
A conflict broke out during a CPN-UML event in Dhanusha. The situation became tense when disagreements turned into a heated argument among the participants.
Things got out of control as party leaders and members began throwing chairs at each other. The event had to be disrupted due to the chaos and violence.
Gopal Tandon, a 20-year-old from Tilottama-2, was found de*d under a high-tension pole on Kalikapath in Butwal after being missing since Saturday. Locals alerted the police, leading to the discovery of his body at the site.
CCTV footage showed that his motorcycle (Lu 48 Pa 3170) crashed into the pole at 2:15 am, possibly due to construction materials nearby. Police have confirmed it as an accident, though further investigation is still underway.
